Cabinet construction



Aug n 970 s. RGGIQ, JR., ErAL 3,523,76

CAABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 15, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet l lll Aug. 1l, 1970 Sv RQGGK), JRu `ET AL 3,523,76

CABINET CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 13, 1968 ug. 11, 1970 s, ROGGQ, JRD ETAL 3,523,716

CABINET CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 13, 1968 United States Patent O CABINET CONSTRUCTION Salvatore Roggio, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., and Robert S.

Roggio, Delran, NJ., assignors to Lehman Specialty Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvanla Filed Sept. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 759,658 Int. Cl. A4711 43/00 U.S. Cl. 312--257 17 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A free standing knock-down cabinet construction made of two modular hollow sidewall units held together by horizontal shelves and a back panel interlocked to each other and to the sidewall units. Each sidewall unit is formed from a pair of hollow modular sections end alined and rigidly secured together by battens which are concealed by a decorative channel molding. Each hollow mod* ular section is pre-constructed from an annular spacer frame made of channel stock oriented with the channel flanges facing outward and with sheet metal opposite side panels riveted to the channel flanges. The perimetral joints between end edges of the side panels and channel flanges, and the rivets, are concealed within decorative snap-on moldings which lock behind the rivet heads. The upper section of the cabinet structure is closed by a pair of door modules each consisting of a door and a pair of hinges secured to a mullion strip which latter secures the door modules to the sidewall units. The hollow modular sections permit the safe use of sheet metal screws as shelf, panel, door and batten fasteners without danger of injury to the user by termination of the screw points within the closed interior of the hollow sections.

This invention relates generally to cabinet constructions, and more particularly to a free standing cabinet structure suitable for use particularly in a bathroom as a storage cabinet for various articles.

A principal object of our invention is the construction of a cabinet structure by utilizing a plurality of modular hollow sidewall sections formed of parallel spaced sheet metal panels rigidly joined together to achieve high structural strength together with relatively light weight.

Another object of our invention is to provide a novel cabinet construction in which the mechanical joints `of and between the modular sidewall sections are completely concealed by a quickly applied snap-on decorative trim.

A further object of our invention is to provide a novel cabinet construction utilizing modular hollow sidewall sections as aforesaid in which the cabinet structure itself is formed by shelves which are mechanically interlocked o with facing wall panels of the sidewall sections together with cabinet doors hingedly fixed to side mullion strips which latter are also secured to the sidewall sections.

The foregoing and other objects of our invention will become clear from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with an examination of the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view from above and to one side illustrating the novel cabinet construction according to the invention in assembled form and with the cabinet doors in closed position; v

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the cabinet structure shown in FIG. l as would be seen when Viewed along the line 2 2 thereof, but with the cabinet door shown in open position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section showing a cabinet shelf and its securement to the rear wall panel extending ice between the modular sections as would be seen when viewed along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a detail through the shelf support as would be seen when viewed along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view on an enlarged scale of the connection between modular sidewall sections as would be seen when viewed along the line 5 5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional View on an enlarged scale through the left-hand rear corner of the cabinet structure as would be seen when viewed along the line 6 6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the cross-sectional region shown in the phantom circle 7 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale of the floor-engaging foot surface of the cabinet structure as would be seen when viewed along the line 8 8 of FIG. l;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the leveling foot of each sidewall bottom section as would be seen when viewed along the line 9 9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of one of the modular hollow sidewall sections which constitutes one of the door engaging leg sections of the cabinet construction;

FIG. ll is an exploded perspective view of the joint region between a pair of vertically alined modular hollow sidewall sections which together comprise a leg section and a sidewall portion of the cabinet section of the cabinet construction;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation of the joint shown in exploded view in FIG. l1 with the trim cover dissembled as would be seen in the region along the line 12 12 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a horizontal sectional view through the joint as would be seen when viewed along the line 13 13 of FIG. l2;

FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through the assembled joint of FIG. 12 as would be viewed along the line 14 14 thereof; and

FIG. l5 is a horizontal sectional view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing a modified form of securing in position the back panel of the cabinet.

In the several iigures, like elements are denoted by like reference characters.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. l `and 2, it will be observed that the cabinet structure comprises an assembly of a pair of lower modular hollow sidewall sections 20, a pair of upper hollow modular sidewall sections 2l, a plurality of intermediate shelves 22, a bottom shelf 23, a top closure 24, a cabinet back panel 25, and a pair of doors 26-26 each hingedly connected to a vertically extending side mullion mounting strip 27 by a pair of hinges 28.

Each of the lower modular sidewall sections 20 is assembled as a structural unit as best seen from the exploded view of FIG. 10, to which reference should now be made. Each sidewall section includes a central generally U-shaped member formed from a piece of channel stock to have a front leg 29, a rear leg 3i) and a bottom or connecting leg 31, the rear leg 30 being at substantially a right angle to the bottom leg 31 while the front leg 29 makes an acute angle with the bottom leg 31 to thereby provide a side profile of trapezoidal shapesubstantially congruent with the opposite side panels 32 which are riveted to the U-shaped member by rivets 33. Completing the sidewall section is a top horizontal connecting leg 34 of the same channel stock of which the U-shaped member is formed, and of a length equal to the spacing between the upper free ends of the front and rear legs 29 and 30, the connecting member 34 being also riveted to the side panels 32 by means of the rivets 35. It will be noted that the side panels 32 respectively overlie the opposite side tlanges of the legs 29, 30 and 31 of the central U-shaped member and of the top member 34 and that the perimetral edges of the panels are disposed in substantial coincidence with the corresponding edges of the flanges to which said panels are secured.

The upper hollow modular sidewall sections 21 are made exactly the same way as are the lower sidewall sections just described with one exception. In order to secure the shelves 22 and 23 and top closure 24 to the upper modular sections, the inner side panels, designated as 32a in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, are provided with offset supporting strap loops 36 struck out of the body and plane of the side panels 32a. In all other respects the basic modular sidewall sections 20 and 21 are the same, the upper sidewall sections being inverted as shown in FIG. l so that the rear legs of the U-shaped members are in vertical alinement with the connecting members 34 thereof in face to face registry, as is most clearly seen from the detail of FIG. 14.

The bottom leg 31 of the U-shaped member of each modular section is provided Iwith an aperture 37 proximate to the front leg 29 for the installation of a leveling foot, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The leveling foot consists of a screw threaded bore support block 38 riveted, as by means of rivets 39, to the inside surface of the base -wall of the bottom leg 31, and into which is threadedly engaged a leveling pad 40 which extends into the threaded bore of the support block 38 through the aperture 37 of the bottom leg 31. The upper modular sidewall sections 21 are of course not provided with the leveling foot arrangement.

As best seen from FIGS. 2 through 5 and 14, each of the shelves 22 and 23 and top closure 24 is stamped to provide tabs 41 which register with and are projectable downward through the shelf supporting strap loops 36 formed in the side panels 32a and in the back panel 25. This provides a rigid interlock of the upper hollow modular sidewall sections 2l with the shelves and closure top and back wall of the cabinet section. If desired, a rivet or a self-topping sheet metal screw may be installed to secure each of the depending anges of the shelves and top closure to their facing sidewall panels 32a and back panel 25.

As best seen from FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 10i, and ll, the riveted joints between the side panels 32 and the legs 29, 30 and 31 of the U-shaped members are concealed and covered by channel-shaped snap-on molding 42 bent into the form of a U-shaped member of the same shape as the three longer sides of the side panels 32 but with the longer legs of the molding terminating short of the shortest edge of the panel 32, as is best seen in FIGS. 11 and l2. As best seen from the cross section of the enlarged view of FIG. 7, the snap-on molding 42 has a base wall 43 from the same side of which extend a pair of parallel sidewalls or flanges 44 spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the overall length of the rivets 33 which extend through and secure together the side panel 32 and cabinet back wall 25 or the side panels 32 and legs 29, 30 and 31 of the U-shaped member of each modular sidewall section.

The molding sidewalls or anges 44 are provided at their free edges with inwardly presenting thickened portions 45 spaced apart a distance less than the overall length of the rivet 33. Additionally, the spacing of the rivets 33 inward from the free edges of the panels which they secure together is such that when the moldings 42 are pressed into position over the riveted edges of the modular sections, the thickened portions 45 of the moldings pass over the rivet heads for secure snap-fitted engagement of the moldings with the rivets to hold the moldings firmly bottomed against the riveted edges of the modular sections.

As is most clearly seen from FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and ll, the snap-on moldings 46 on the upper modular sidewall sections 21 do not extend down the back of the cabinet section but terminate at the rear edge of the top closure 24. The riveted seams extending down the back of the cabinet which include the side edges of the back panel 25 include three thickeners of metal and will not readily accommodate the snap-on moldings 42. because of the increased thickness. However, this is immaterial since these riveted seams are completely concealed from view by disposition against the bathroom wall. If it should be desirable to cover these seams as well, then a snap-on molding strip of slightly larger spacing between the sidewalls or flanges 44 of the snap-on molding 42 could be utilized.

As best seen from FIG. 2, the front-to-back width of the .bottom intermediate shelf 22 and the top closure 24 are such that a space remains between their front edges and the rear edge of the snap-on moldings 46 which is just equal to the front-to-lback width of the mullion strip 27 so that the latter ts snugly against the side panels 32a. The mullion strip 27 is lixedly secured to the side panels 32a preferably by the screws which hold the door hinges 28 to the mullion strip, but additional screws or other fastening means may be utilized as desired.

As best seen from the showings of FIGS. l1 through 14, the upper and lower modular sidewall sections 21 and 20 are rigidly secured together by being first placed in end apposed position with their connecting members 34 in registry as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, and are then xedly secured together by self tapping sheet metal screws 47 projected through the batten strips 48 which are disposed tlatwise against the outer edges of the side panels of the modular sidewall sections. It should be noted that the long horizontal edges 49 of the batten strips 48 are spaced from the terminating ends of the snap-on moldings 42 so as to leave a clearance space therebetween to accommodate the anges of a channel-shaped molding 5()` which functions as a decorative covering for the batten strip securement.

As best seen from the showing of FIG. ll, the channel `molding 50 is bent into U-shape to provide a front or base wall 51 and a pair of sidewalls 52. Extending horizontally inward from the top and bottom edges of each of the sidewalls 52 are anges 53 of longitudinal extent substantially equal to the front-to-lback dimension of sidewall panels 32 of the modular sidewall sections, with the horizontal spacing between the facing edges of the flanges 53 being substantially equal to the spacing between the outer faces of the side panels 32 of the modular sidewall sections as seen in FIG. 14. Extending horizontally from the top and bottom edges of the front wall 51 of the channel molding 50 are flanges 54 which slide inward into edge abutment against the front legs 29 of the U-shaped structural members of the modular sidewall sections as the channel molding 50 is slid rearward with the upper and lower edges 49 of the batten strip 48 closely embraced between the inside faces of the channel molding flanges 51. The channel molding sidewalls 53 terminate at their rear edges in tails 55 which are turned inward into overlying relationship and are secured together by screw 56 in the manner best illustrated in showings of FIGS. 5 and 13. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that all of the cut edges of the parts forming the cabinet and leg constructions are completely concealed by the snap-on moldings 42 and 46 and the channel molding 50.

FIG. l5 shows a modied arrangement for securing in position the Iback panel of the cabinet. In this modied construction, the back panel 25a is in the form of a stamping having its opposite vertical edge portions shaped as shown to provide offset ilanges 57-57 which are respectively disposed atwise against the base walls of the rear legs 30--30 of the central frame memlber of the upper modular sidewall sections 20-20. The main body portion of the back panel 25a extends across the two innermost riveted edges of the laterally spaced sidewall panels 32a- 32a of the upper modular sections and is held securely in position either by rivets projecting through the flanges 57-57 and the base walls of the rear legs 30-30 of the sidewall central frame members or by sheet-metal screws 58 as shown in FIG. 15. The use of sheet-metal screws in lieu of rivets for securing the back panel in position makes possible storage and shipment of the cabinet in knockeddown form for ready assembly by the user. The hollow modular sidewall sections permit application of sheet metal screws for assembly of the several components of the cabinet without necessitating the use of protective caps or other devices for covering the pointed ends of the screws since their threaded points project into and are concealed by the closed interiors of the hollow sidewall sections and thus do not present sharp points which may cause injury to the user of the cabinet. The hollow modular sections also make possible the use of sheet-metal screws, as previously mentioned, for securement thereto of the top closure 24 and the shelves 22 and 23 of the cabinet by the user of the cabinet who might receive it in knocked-down form.

Having now described our invention in connection with a particularly illustrated embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications of our invention may now occur from time to time to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing from the essential scope or spirit of our invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A cabinet construction comprising in combination,

(a) a pair of laterally spaced vertically extending side support structures each formed by a pair of upper and lower modular hollow sidewall sections rigidly secured together in end-to-end vertically alined relationship, each such modular section including an inside and an outside panel held in parallel planar spaced apart congruent relationship by an intervening spacer frame to which both of said side panels are fxedly secured by securing means located proximate the edges of said panels, and the panel edges being embraced by molding to conceal the securements of said panels to said spacer frame,

(b) means securing together each pair of end-toend alined upper and lower modular sidewall sections,

(c) at least a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced cross members each secured at their side edges to the said inside side panels of said upper modular hollow sidewall sections, and

(d) a cabinet rear wall panel secured at its opposite edges to said upper modular hollow sidewall section.

2. A cabinet construction as deiined in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of cross members is a cabinet top closure fixedly secured to said upper modular sections substantially at the top thereof, and the other said cross member is a shelf xedly secured to said upper modular sections proximate to but above the lower end thereof.

3. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of cross members is a cabinet top closure iixedly secured to said upper modular sections substantially at the top thereof, and the other said cross member is a shelf ixedly secured to said upper modular sections proximate to `but above the lower end thereof, and further including a pair of side-by-side cabinet closure doors held in operative cabinet-closing position -by door mounts secured to and carried *by the said inside side panels of said upper modular sections proximate to the front edges thereof.

4. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said upper and lower modular sections is of right angle trapezoidiform shape having long and short bases connected by an orthogonal rear edge and a slant front edge, the lower and upper modular sections being co-planar and inverted with respect to one another so that their long bases are positioned respectively downward for supporting engagement with the iioor and upward to define the upper edge of the cabinet, having their 6 orthogonal rear edges vertically alined with one another to define the back end of the cabinet, and having their short bases of equal length and disposed congruently one upon the other.

5. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said upper and lower modular sections is quadrilateral in side elevation having iirst and second spaced apart parallel horizontal edges connected by a pair of opposite edges at least one of which latter is orthogonal to said horizontal edges, the lower and upper modular sections being co-planar and having their said first edges positioned respectively downward for supporting engagement with the floor and upward to define the upper edge of the cabinet, having their said at least one orthogonal edges vertically alined with one another to define the back end of the cabinet, and having their said second horizontal edges of equal length and disposed congruently one upon the other.

6. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means which fixedly secure together said side panels and said spacer frame of each said modular section are headed fasteners, and said molding which conceals said headed fastener securements comprises a channel-shaped snap-on molding having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending therefrom with detents carried by the inside facing sidewall surfaces, said detents being positioned behind the said headed fasteners with the panel edges bottomed against the inside surface of said molding base wall.

7. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower and upper edges respectively of said outside side panels of said upper and lower modular sections are co-planar and edge abutting and are fixedly secured together by a batten and wherein the lower and upper edges respectively of said inside side panels of said upper and lower modular sections are co-planar and edge abutting and `are fixedly secured together |by a hatten, and wherein said battens comprise said means securing together said end-t0- end alined upper and lower modular sidewall sections.

8. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 4 further including an adjustable leveling foot secured to and through the said iioor engaging long base of said lower modular section proximate to the front edge thereof, whereby the entire cabinet structure may be pivoted rearward about the rear end of said floor engaging long base to position the cabinet rear Wall against a room wall immediately therebehind.

9. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 5 wherein said securing means which iixedly secure together said side panels and said spacer frame of each said modular section are headed fasteners, and said molding which conceals said headed fastener securements comprises a channel-shaped snap-on molding having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending therefrom with detents carried by the inside facing sidewall surfaces, said detents being positioned behind the said headed fasteners with the panel edges bottomed against the inside surface of said molding bas'e wall.

10. `A cabinet construction as defined in claim 7 wherein said battens are each generally rectangular strips having upper and lower parallel edges, and further including a generally U-shaped molding having a base wall with iianges extending inward toward one another from the edges of said base wall, the upper and lower edges of said batten strips being closely embraced between the inside faces of the flanges of said U-shaped molding, and said batten strips and the connection between said upper and lower modular sidewall sections being concealed within said U-shaped molding.

11. A cabinet construction as defined in claim 9 wherein the lower and upper edges respectively of said outside side panels of said upper and lower modular sections are co-planar and edge abutting and are iixedly secured together by a batten and wherein the lower and upper edges respectively of said inside side panels of said upper and 7 lower modular sections are co-planar and edge abutting and are fixedly secured together by a batten, and wherein said rbattens comprise said means securing together said end-to-end alined upper and lower modular sidewall sections.

12. A hollow modular structural section for use in assembling a cabinet construction by joining together multiple units of such structural sections, comprising in combination,

(a) a quadrilateral annular spacer frame having front and. rear legs and bottom and top legs all formed from U-shaped channel stock having a base wall and a pair of side anges extending in the same direction from the longitudinal edges of the base wall, the side flanges of at least each of said front and rear and bottom legs presenting outwardly of the said frame in a pair of spaced apart parallel planes separated by the width of said channel base wall,

(b) a pair of quadrilateral side panels made of sheet material each having its edges substantially congruent with the outer perimetral edges of said annular frame, one side panel being fixedly secured by securing means to the said frame flanges which are disposed in one of said pair of parallel planes to form a first joint therebetween, and the other side panel being fixedly secured by securing means to the said frame fianges disposed in the other of said pair of parallel planes to form a second joint therebetween,

(c) a first channel-shaped molding having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending therefrom, said first molding enclosing between its sidewalls the outer peripheral edges of said first joint at least along the said bottom leg and along said front and back legs from the bottom leg to a point of termination on each of said front and back legs spaced away from the top edges of said side panels by a predetermined fixed distance, and

(d) a second channel-shaped molding having a base wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending therefrom, said second molding enclosing between its sidewalls the outer peripheral edges of said second joint at least along the said bottom leg and along said front leg from the bottom leg to a point of termination thereon spaced away from the top edges of said side panels by the aforesaid predetermined fixed distance.

13. A modular section as defined in claim 12 wherein said securing means which ixedly secure together said side panels and said spacer frame of said modular section are headed fasteners, and said first and second moldings conceal said headed fasteners between the said moldings sidewalls which latter are provided with detents carried by the inside facing sidewall surfaces, said detents being positioned behind the said headed fasteners with the panel edges bottomed against the inside surface of said molding base wall to thereby restrain said moldings from shifting.

14. A composite modular structural unit comprising a pair of modular sections as defined in claim 12 wherein the said top and bottom legs of each of said modular sections are parallel to one another and wherein at least said rear leg is orthogonal to the said top and bottom legs, said pair of modular sections being arranged as lower and upper co-planar modular sections inverted with respect to one another so that the said bottom leg of said lower modular section is positioned downward for supporting engagement with the oor and the said bottom leg of said upper modular section is positioned upward to define the upper edge of the composite structural unit, said modular sections having their orthogonal rear legs vertically alined with one another to define the back end of the unit and having their top legs of equal length and disposed congruently one upon the other, and securing means fixedly securing together said pair of modular sections at their top legs.

15. A composite hollow modular structural unit as defined in claim 14 wherein the lower marginal edge of each of said upper modular section side panels is co-planar and edge-abutting with the upper marginal edge of a different one of said lower modular section side panels, and wherein said means fixedly securing together said pair of modular sections comprise a pair of battens each of generally rectangular form having upper and lower parallel edges, each said hatten overlying the side panels marginal edges and the abutment line between said upper and lower modular sections side panels with the upper and lower parallel hatten edges generally parallel to the abutment line, and fastener means fixedly securing each batten to the marginal edges of the side panels which it overlies.

16. A modular structural unit as defined in claim 14 further including an adjustable leveling foot secured to and through the said floor engaging leg of said lower modular section proximate to the front edge thereof, whereby the entire structure may be pivoted rearward about the rear end of said floor engaging leg to position the cabinet rear wall against a room wall immediately therebehind.

17. A composite hollow structural unit as defined in claim 15 wherein said battens overlie the marginal edges of said panels by an amount somewhat less than the said predetermined fixed distance at which the ends of said first and second moldings terminate from the said top edges of said side panels, and further including a generally U- shaped molding having a base wall with fianges extending inward toward one another from the edges of said base wall, the upper and lower edges of said battens being closely embraced between the inside faces of the flanges of said U-shaped molding, and said battens and the connection between said upper and lower modular sections being concealed within said U-shaped molding.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,265,419 8/1966v Durnbaugh et al. 3,371,977 3/1968 McCabe 312-257 FOREIGN PATENTS 960,363 6/ 1964 Great Britain. 1,364,089 5/1963 France.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. S12-253, 278 

